Substrate connector guide

ABSTRACT

A substrate connector guide for installing and electrically connecting an electrical substrate to a carrier substrate. The substrate connector guide includes a plurality of guide rails mounted on the perimeter edge of the electrical substrate and at least a first electrical connector mounted transversely between the guide rails. First and second substrate guides are mounted to the carrier substrate in a spaced and parallel relationship to the other. Each substrate guide includes a channel extending longitudinally along a substrate guide inner side, from an open end to a top guide. The channel is further defined by a top surface and a plurality of drop guides which in turn form a plurality of slots. At least a second electrical connector is mounted and electrically connected to the carrier substrate between the first and second substrate guides. The electrical substrate is installed by manually inserting the electrical substrate into respective substrate guide open ends and manually pushing the electrical substrate along the channels until the substrate encounters a respective top guide. The top guides then urge the substrate downward until each electrical substrate guide rail falls into a respective substrate guide slot. Each of the electrical substrate&#39;s plurality of guide rails rest on the carrier substrate and align the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector. An electrical connection is completed between the electrical substrate and the carrier substrate when the electrical substrate is fully seated on the first and second substrate guides.

This is a continuation-in part of copending application Ser. No. 032,666, filed on Apr. 1, 1987, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to modular electronic circuit devices and more particularly to a device for mounting and electrically connecting electrical substrates to a carrier substrate.

In the past few years, the use of plug-in units for electrical components has found favor within the electronics industry. Such plug-in units generally comprise a structure upon which are mounted electrical assemblies or sub-assemblies, the structure being arranged to be plugged in a suitable socket provided on a base chassis. When so plugged the components carried by the plug-in unit are electrically connected in proper circuit relation to other electrical equipment carried by the base chassis.

Recently however, with the coming of film circuits, the need for a specialized carrier structure for housing the sub-assembly has disappeared. This is mainly due to the smaller size of a film circuit. Compared to circuit fashioned in discrete components the film circuit is appreciably smaller and lighter. It is not uncommon to have film circuits plugged directly into larger circuit cards or other carrier substrates and in turn the larger substrate plugged into the base chassis. At present, most installations of film circuits to circuit cards is done as a permanent installation. Therefore, removal and replacement of the film circuits though not impossible, is a tedious and labor intensive job.

It therefor is an object of the present invention to disclose a new structure for mounting and electrically connecting, electronic substrates onto carrier substrates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accomplishing the object of the present invention there is provided a substrate connector guide for mounting and electrically connecting an electrical substrate to a carrier substrate. The electrical substrate of the present invention includes a first pair of guide rails each mounted on the perimeter edge of the electrical substrate directly opposite the other. A second pair of guide rails located in a spaced relationship from the first pair of guide rails are also mounted on the perimeter edge of the electrical substrate directly opposite the other. At least one first electrical connecting device is mounted transversely along a bottom surface of the electrical substrate. The first electrical connecting device is electrically connected to the electrical substrate.

First and second substrate guides are mounted to the carrier substrate in a spaced and parallel relationship to the other. Each of the first and second substrate guides include a channel extending longitudinally along a first side thereof, from an open end to a top guide. The channel is further defined by a top surface and first and second drop guides. The first and second drop guides further define first and second slots. At least one second electrical connecting device is mounted and electrically connected to the carrier substrate transversely between the first and second substrate guides.

The electrical substrate is mounted to the substrate guides by manually inserting the electrical substrate into respective first and second substrate guide channels open ends and manually pushing the electrical substrate along the channels. The electrical substrate and first and second pairs of guide rails ride between respective first and second drop guides and top surfaces. When the substrate encounters the first and second top guides each respective top guide urges the electrical substrate downward. The first guide rail and the second guide rail then fall within respective first and second slots on each of the first and second substrate guides resting each of the first and second electrical substrate guide rails on the carrier substrate and aligning and registering the first electrical connecting device to the second electrical connecting device. A final application of forward pressure connects the first electrical connecting device to the second electrical connecting device electrically connecting the electrical substrate to the carrier substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate having the guide rails of the present invention installed thereon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a substrate guide of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the electrical substrate and carrier substrate showing the placement and alignment of the first and second electrical connecting devices before final insertion.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the substrate mounting device of the present invention mounted on a carrier substrate including the placement of the second electrical connecting devices.

FIGS. 5-8 are sectional views of the substrate mounting device of the present invention illustrating the manner in which a substrate is installed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the included drawings the device in accordance with the invention includes a planar substrate 10 having forward guide rails 11 and rear guard rails 12 attached or molded onto the substrate 10 along the edge of one of the substrates 10 major sides. A similar set of guide rails (not shown) is also positioned on the opposite major side of the substrate. As can be seen each guard rail end 13 and 14 is angled so as to aid insertion and extraction when installed into guide 20 of FIG. 2.

Guide 20 is an integrally molded unit comprised of a slot or channel 24 extending longitudinally along an inner side of guide 20. Channel 24 is defined between a planar top cap or surface 29 and a forward drop guide 22 and rear drop guide 23. Additionally, the channel 24 extends from an opening at the forward end of the guide 20 to a top guide 27 at the rear of the guide 20. Both the forward and rear drop guides include ramped ends 28 to aid in the positioning and removal of the substrate 10. Further, the top guide 27 includes an angled surface 26 which also aids in the installation of substrate 10 and which will be explained in detail later. Finally, guide 20 includes a generally planar bottom surface 25 for mounting the guide to a carrier substrate.

To facilitate the electrical connection of the electrical substrate 10 to the carrier substrate 50 a bottom surface 18 of the electrical substrate 10 includes a plurality of connectors 15. As shown in FIG. 3 each connector 15 is mounted transversely across the bottom surface 18 of electrical substrate 10. Each connector 15 further includes a row of pins 16 extending from one end of the connector to the other. The pins 16 are normally connected via conductors 17 to electrical circuitry on the electrical substrate 10. The carrier substrate 50 also includes an associated plurality of connector sockets 51 each located transversely along the carrier substrate 50. Each socket 51 includes a plurality of pin receiving receptacles (not shown) with each pin receiving receptacle arranged to accept an associated electrical pin 16. The connector sockets 51 are electrically connected to the carrier substrate 50 via conductors 54.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a pair of guides 20 and 30 form the substrate mounting device of the present invention. Guide 30 is a mirror image in structure to guide 20. The sockets shown on FIG. 3 are also shown arranged transversely on carrier substrate 50 between guides 20 and 30.

The substrate mounting device of the present invention is attached by any convenient means to the top surface of the carrier substrate 50 such as a circuit card, backplane, or other electrical substrate.

Turning now to FIGS. 5-8 an explanation of the installation of the substrate 10 within the substrate mounting device of the present invention will be explained in detail. It should be noted that FIGS. 5-8 show the installation in sectional view and therefore for reasons of clarity only guide 20 is shown. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that an identical insertion procedure occurs simultaneously in guide 30 as the substrate is installed.

Beginning at FIG. 5 the substrate 10 including rear guide rail 12 and forward guard rail 11 is inserted into channel 24 of guide 20 and pushed forward within the guide. As can be seen the rear rail 12 rides within the channel between the forward drop guide 23, rear drop guide 22 and the top cap 29. The rear guide rail 12 being longer than the forward slot 53, which is defined by the rear drop guide 22 and forward drop guide 23, rides over the forward slot 53 on insertion. Connectors 16 (not shown) also ride above the connector sockets 51 due to their vertical profile which does not extend lower than the guide rails 11, 12.

As the substrate 10 is installed further into guide 20, substrate guide rail 11 and 12 begin falling into slots 53 and 52 respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 6. This is aided by angled surfaces 13 of guide rails 11 and 12 sliding down angled surfaces 28 of drop guides 23 and 22. The slots are keyed to the connector sockets 51 allowing connectors 15 to register in front of a respective connector socket 51 as guide rails 11 and 12 fall into slots 53 and 52 respectively.

Angled surface 26 of top guide 27 insures that substrate 10 follows a downward motion as it is further pushed within the guide as shown in FIG. 7. This also aids in providing a good horizontal force along electrical substrate 10 during the insertion of pins 16 into the pin receiving receptacles of sockets 51.

Finally, the substrate becomes fully installed when the rear rail 12 and forward rail 11 rest on the carrier substrate 50 top surface within respective slots 52 and 53. At this time, each connector pin 16 is aligned and registered with an associated pin receiving receptacle on each connector sockets 51. A final application of manual pressure mates each pin 16 with an associated socket 51 pin receiving receptacle.

The substrate is easily removed by pulling the substrate 10 out of the guide 20 in an opposite direction to that of installation. A lifting action is provided by angled ends 13 of substrate rails 11 and 12 riding on angled ends 28 of drop guides 23 and 22. Once the substrate 10 and rails 11 and 12 are within channel 24 the substrate is pulled and withdrawn from the guide.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A substrate connector guide for mounting and electrically connecting an electrical substrate to a carrier substrate comprising:a first pair of guide rails each mounted on the perimeter edge of said electrical substrate directly opposite each other; a second pair of guide rails located in a spaced relationship to said first pair of guide rails and each guide rail of said second pair of guide rails mounted on the perimeter edge of said electrical substrate directly opposite each other; at least a first electrical connecting device mounted transversely along a bottom surface of said electrical substrate electrically connected to said electrical substrate; first and second substrate guides mounted to said carrier substrate in a spaced and parallel relationship to each other, each of said substrate guides including a channel extending longitudinally along an inner side thereof from an open end to a top guide, each channel further defined by a top surface and first and second drop guides with said first and second drop guides further defining first and second slots, and at least a second electrical connecting device electrically connected and mounted to said carrier substrate transversely, between said first and said second substrate guides; and, said electrical substrate and said first and second guide rails arranged to be manually inserted into respective first and second substrate guide channels at respective channel open ends and manually pushed along said channels riding between respective first and second drop guides and top surfaces until said substrate encounters said first and second substrate guides top guide and each respective top guide urges said electrical substrate downward, and said first guide rail and said second guide rail fall within respective first and second slots on each of said first and second substrate guides resting each of said first and second electrical substrate guide rails on said carrier substrate, aligning and registering said first electrical connecting device to said second electrical connecting device whereby, said first electrical connecting device mates with said second electrical connecting device electrically connecting said electrical substrate to said carrier substrate.
 2. A substrate connector guide for mounting and electrically connecting an electrical substrate to a carrier substrate comprising:first rail means mounted on a first perimeter edge of said electrical substrate; second rail means mounted on a second perimeter edge of said electrical substrate directly opposite said first rail means; at least a first electrical connecting device mounted transversely along a bottom surface of said electrical substrate electrically connected to said electrical substrate; first and second guide means mounted to said carrier substrate in a spaced and parallel relationship to each other, each of said guide means including a channel extending longitudinally along an inner side thereof from an open end to a terminating end, each channel including at least one rail means accepting slot; at least a second electrical connecting device electrically connected and mounted to said carrier substrate transversely between said first and said second guide means; and, said electrical substrate and said first and second rails means arranged to be manually inserted into respective first and second substrate guide means channels at respective channel open ends and urged along each of said guide means channels toward said closed end until said first rail means and said second rail means fall within respective first and second guide means slots resting each of said first and second rails means on said carrier substrate, aligning and registering said first electrical connecting device to said second electrical connecting device whereby, said first electrical connecting device mates with said second electrical connecting device electrically connecting said electrical substrate to said carrier substrate.
 3. The substrate connector guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said first rail means is a pair of guide rails mounted in tandem and extending from the bottom surface of said electrical substrate along a first major perimeter edge of said electrical substrate.
 4. The substrate connector guide as claimed in claim 3, wherein: said second rail means is a pair of guide rails mounted in tandem and extending from the bottom surface of said electrical substrate directly opposite of said first rail means along a second major perimeter edge of said electrical substrate.
 5. The substrate connector guide as claimed in claim 4, wherein: each of said first and second guide means channels is defined by a top surface and first and second drop guides positioned in tandem along said channel, said guide means first and second drop guides further defining first and second slots.
 6. The substrate connector guide as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said electrical substrate and said first and second pair of guide rails are inserted within respective first and second guide means channels at respective channel open ends, and said electrical substrate is manually pushed along each respective channel with said first and second pair of guide rails riding between respective first and second guide means drop guides and top surfaces until each of said first and second pair of guide rails fall within respective first and second guide means first and second slots.
 7. The substrate connector guide as claimed in claim 6, wherein: each of said first and second guide means terminating ends are first and second top guides extending into respective first and second guide means channels, each top guide is arranged to contact said electrical substrate when riding within each respective channel, thereby urging said electrical substrate in a downward direction.
 8. A substrate connector guide for mounting and electrically connecting an electrical substrate to a carrier substrate comprising:rail means mounted along the major perimeter edges of said electrical substrate; at least a first electrical connecting device mounted along a bottom surface of said electrical substrate electrically connected to said electrical substrate; a plurality of guide means mounted to said carrier substrate, each of said guide means including a channel extending longitudinally along an inner side thereof from an open end to a terminating end, each channel including rail means accepting slots; at least a second electrical connecting device electrically connected and mounted to said carrier substrate located adjacent said guide means; and, said electrical substrate and said rails means arranged to be manually inserted into said guide means channel at respective channel open ends and urged along said channels toward said closed end until said rail means fall within respective guide means slots, resting said rails means on said carrier substrate, aligning and registering said first electrical connecting device to said second electrical connecting device whereby, said first electrical connecting device mates with said second electrical connecting device electrically connecting said electrical substrate to said carrier substrate. 